


Twelve Days of Christmas

by ivory_keys



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Bromance, Christmas, Gen, M/M, Sick Louis, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-06 06:38:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5406797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivory_keys/pseuds/ivory_keys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A holiday sickfic. Louis has pneumonia and his band mates are going to cheer him up during the holidays. I'm uploading a chapter a day for twelve days. Lots of sickness, cuddles, and holiday fun in each chapter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Day Of Christmas

Louis couldn’t remember the last time he felt this awful.

He held his head in his hands and moaned. The doctor’s office exam table was hard and the paper lining on top crinkled when he moved. The lights were too bright and the Christmas music playing was too loud. All of it made his head feel like it was going to explode.

He felt cold and annoyed and to make matters worse, his feet dangled over the edge of the exam table so he felt short as well.

He mumbled. “I feel short.”

Liam smiled from the rolling chair across the exam room. “I don’t think the doctor has any medicine for that.”

Louis sniffed and then winced as his head ached.

Liam gave him a tissue and a pat on the back. “Blow it out mate. If you sniff it in, it’s just going to make you sneeze.”

Immediately after saying that, Louis sneezed into the tissue. The sneeze was followed by a round of painful sounding coughs.

Liam rubbed his back. “Easy, Lou.”

Louis put his head on Liam’s shoulder. He was used to getting sick in the winter. It was almost like a gift mother nature gave to him every year. This illness felt a little worse though.

He sniffed again. “I’m hibernating for the winter. Wake me up when it’s spring time.”

Liam laughed. “I can’t do that, but if you’re sick I can definitely keep you warm and happy at home for a few days.”

For the month of December home was a quaint log cabin that One Direction had rented. They had a few months off from the tour and Louis had thought that it would be a good idea to have a month bonding with the boys. He never would have imagined that twelve days in he would be as sick as a dog.

The doctor walked in and smiled.

Louis groaned. “Does a smile mean good or bad news?”

The doctor smiled a bit more. “You’re lucky Louis Tomlinson. If you had let this go further you could have had a case of full blown pneumonia on your hands. You probably would have spent Christmas in the hospital. We caught it early so I’d recommend medication and bed rest for twelve days.”

Louis counted on his fingers. “Twenty two, twenty three, twenty four… wait a minute. I can’t leave the house until the twenty fourth?!”

Liam was about to tease his friend, but he noticed that Louis was biting his lip and there were tears in his eyes.

Liam rubbed Louis’ shoulder. “It’s ok mate. The main thing is that you rest and get better.”

The tears in Louis’ eyes started to roll down his cheeks. He turned away from Liam and rubbed his eyes, hoping Liam didn’t see them. “The main thing is that I just ruined Christmas. We were supposed to have a month of bonding and Christmas cheer and I...”

Louis trailed off and started shedding the type of tears that neither of them could pretend wasn’t happening.

Liam sat down next to Louis and put his hand under his chin so Louis couldn’t look away. “Listen to me. You didn’t ruin Christmas. We can still have just as much fun.”

Louis pouted out his lip. “I’m an invalid.”

Liam smiled. “You’re Louis Tomlinson and you’re about to have the best twelve days of your life. Blond and Curly are going to help me with that.”

Liam took his scarf from his neck and wrapped it around Louis. “Can’t have you getting a chill.”

Louis smiled, feeling warmer already.

The two made a quick stop to pick up the medicine. Louis let out an occasional sneeze and a few coughs muffled by his gloves. He shivered a few times as they waited at the counter for the medicine. Liam put his coat around Louis for added warmth. The store was a million degrees like most stores during holiday shopping, but Louis continued to shiver.

Liam winced. “I should have taken you home before I got the medicine.”

Louis shook his head. “N-No. I’m g-good.”

Liam glanced over at a tiny fake tree. It was the perfect size to put on a dresser. They had already painstakingly picked out a tree for the main room a few days ago, but Louis might be stuck in bed for a few days unable to see it.

Liam picked up the tree and added it to the counter. He called over to the pharmacist. “Can you add this to the order?”

The pharmacist picked up the tiny tree and smiled. “Of course.”

Louis pulled Liam’s coat tighter around his shoulders. “Is that t-tiny tree for m-me?”

Liam smirked. “A tiny tree for the tiniest member of 1D.”

Louis frowned.

Liam laughed. “Hey, you were the one that said you were short.”

Louis blinked his slightly unfocused eyes over to Liam. “I love…” Liam held his breath hoping the sentence would end with a ‘you’. Louis shivered again before smiling. “…it.”

Liam rubbed Louis’ shoulders, keeping him warm, as they waited.

They walked out of the store and headed back to the house. It was a short walk, but Liam was frozen by the time they got back. Louis had tried to give him back his jacket, but Liam refused. He insisted that Louis needed it more.

When they reached the house, Niall and Harry were there to greet them.

Liam told the others that Louis would need bed rest and added attention and Niall and Harry looked happy to provide that.

Liam helped Louis into his room and Louis happily curled up onto the bed.

Liam set the tree up on the dresser.

Harry frowned. “The tree doesn’t have any decorations. It looks naked.”

Louis smiled. “A naked tree is better to look at than a naked Harry.”

Harry raised his eyebrow. “That’s a very specific kind of fetish that you have Lou.”

Liam laughed. “I think Louis needs to take his medicine and then get some rest.” He turned his attention to Louis. “It’s good to see that you’re not shivering anymore Love.”

Louis hugged Liam’s jacket. “I’ve got this to keep me warm.”

Liam gave Louis his medicine and tucked him in for a rest. He couldn’t pry his jacket out of Louis’ hands so he let him sleep with it.

He turned off the light and stood in the doorway until he was sure Louis was asleep.

Louis woke up alone and in the dark a few hours later. He looked over to the window and saw that it was pitch black outside. He picked up his phone and it said 3am.

His nose felt congested and his chest felt heavy, but his head didn’t feel like it was going to explode. He sighed to himself. _The medicine must be working._

He reached over to the journal on his dresser. All of the boys had one. This was where they would write down random lyrics or musical notes that came into their heads.

Harry’s was filled with lyrical poems next to random doodles. Some doodles were of his tattoos with poetic words describing them. Some were of more abstract drawings and his words made the visual into lyrical.

Liam’s was filled with lyrics as well but they were more organized than Harry’s. Liam had letters next to certain lyrics assigning his words to people who thought would best sing them. He also had long stories that one day might be broken down into autobiographical songs.

Niall’s journal was filled with a few lyrics here and there, but most of his pages were filled with music staffs that he had drawn and music notes climbing up and down those musical staffs. There were a few food stains on each page as well.

Louis opened up his journal. His was filled with random thoughts he had during the day and pictures like Harry's journal.

He put the pen to the page and wrote.

_The first day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: A tiny naked tree._

 


	2. The Second Day Of Christmas

Niall pulled his hat over his ears. “C’mon Harry. If you take any longer, the snow’s going to be gone.”

Harry tucked his curls under his hat. “The snow is almost knee deep. I don’t think it’s going anywhere.”

Niall laughed. “Yeah, can you believe there was a blizzard last night? It never snows like this here.”

Liam chimed in. “It’s too warm though. This snow isn’t going to be around for long.”

Niall grabbed Harry’s wrist and pulled him. “That’s what I was saying! We gotta get outside now!”

Niall pulled Harry out of the door, but Harry lost his footing and they both ended up tumbling onto the blanket of snow outside. Niall tried to sit up and apologize, but Harry had already gathered a snowball and was hurling it at Niall’s head.

Niall had just enough time to open his mouth in surprise before the fluffy ball of snow exploded in his face. He fell back into a laying position and tried to spit snow out of his mouth as Harry hit him with another one.

Niall laughed. “Stop! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!!”

He was able to shield his face from the snow that Harry was tossing at him. He used one hand to shield himself and the other hand to grab some snow and ball it up under his fist. Harry took a break for a second to form another snowball and Niall knew this was his opening.

He waited until Harry turned back to face him and Niall threw his densely packed ball of snow. He packed the snow tightly so it had quite a bit of weight to it.

Niall wasn’t really aiming, he just wanted to hit Harry, but the snowball took a strange angle and hit Harry right between the legs.

Harry went down in a heap in the snow and Niall started laughing uncontrollably. “Jesus Harry. You’re the unluckiest person in the world.”

Harry moaned.

Niall crawled over to his friend and rolled him over so he wasn’t face down in the snow. Harry winced, with his hands between his legs. “Niall… why?”

Niall laughed even harder. His face was already red from snowball shots he had taken, but he tinted a deeper red as he laughed at Harry.

Both boys’ attention turned to the doorway when Liam started laughing. He was holding up his phone. “That was aces lads. I got it on video. Face plant and all.”

Niall started a new round of laughter.

Harry slowly stood and brushed the snow off of his jeans. He tried to give Niall a dirty look, but his dimpled smile took all the anger out of his glare. “I thought we came out here to build a snowman.”

Niall’s eyes grew. “That’s right. Our mission is to make a snowman right outside of Louis’ window to cheer him up. We need to do it before he wakes up too.”

Niall took Harry’s wrist and dragged him to the backyard. Harry was able to stay on his feet and they reached the backyard without incident.

Niall started to roll the snow. “You want to take the top and I’ll take the bottom?”

Harry grinned. “That’s always how I pictured it in my head.”

Niall laughed. “Very funny. Just make the snowman’s body and I’ll do the head.”

Harry started to shape the snow. “I thought snowmen were, like, three balls high.”

Niall nodded. “They are, but we’re not that coordinated. We’re going to be lucky if it’s two. This guy may end up being just one giant blob.”

Liam grinned from behind them. “That’s not going to happen. Frosty is going to be the most fit snowman ever built.” He held up a scarf and a hat in his hands. “He’s going to be wearing Harry’s head scarf and his black hat. Maybe we should name the snowman Harold.”

Harry smiled. “I like that. It’s a stand up name for a snowman.”

Niall huffed. “Ok, I’m done. Liam, help me lift this on top.”

Liam and Niall stacked the second ball of snow on top of Harry’s base.

Harry cheered. “He looks awesome.”

Liam wrapped Harry’s American flag head scarf around the snowman’s neck. “I think this is will definitely cheer Louis up.”

Niall patted the hat onto snowy Harold’s head. “He’s looking like a proper Lad.”

Liam put two black buttons on for the eyes and a row of buttons for the smile.

He handed Harry the carrot. “Do you want to do the honors?”

Harry smiled. “It wouldn’t be Lou’s without a carrot.”

He placed the carrot in the middle of the head and danced in a circle. “It looks perfect!”

Liam nodded. “Ok, we have to wake up Louis.”

Niall bent down and gathered some snow. “I’ll take care of that.” He packed the snow tight and sent a snowball crashing into the window.

Harry winced. “I’ll glad you didn’t hit me in the sweet spot with that one.”

The snowball slid down the window and when it cleared Louis was standing behind it. His blue eyes arched into happy little moons as he looked at what his friends had made him.

Harry cupped his hands around his mouth. “Merry Christmas Loubear!”

Louis gave his friends a thumbs up.

The three snowman builders played in the snow for a while Louis watched from the window. Louis balanced his journal on his lap and looked away from his friends for a moment to write.

_The second day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: A snowman with a fedora_


	3. The Third Day Of Christmas

Louis woke up with a gasp. The gasp was followed by a round of chest rattling coughs. He blinked his eyes open wearily. This was the fourth time that he had coughed himself awake and a good night sleep seemed more elusive than ever.

He sat up in bed and he was hit with another series of dry coughs. In between coughs he wheezed out a weak “Harry”, but there was no answer.

He glanced over at the bed next to him. It was too dark to see, but Louis moaned as he remembered that his roommate was relocated to Niall and Liam’s room after Louis had contracted the plague.

Louis laid back and let his head hit the pillow. He closed his eyes and moaned. All the coughing had made his throat dry. He moaned again, knowing that he was going to have to make a trip to the kitchen for a glass of water.

He sat up again and swung his legs over the side of the bed. His warm feet hit the cold floor and he shivered. He slowly stood and wasn’t sure if it was the floorboards or his bones that creaked louder. He took a tentative step forward and a few coughs pushed their way out. His chest shook as he brought his fist to his mouth. He covered his cough out of polite habit, but he also tried to mute the sound so he wouldn’t wake up his friends. This cold was keeping him awake, but Louis vowed not to let it interrupt anyone else’s sleep.

The coughing knocked Louis off balance and he fell back onto a sitting position on the bed. He squeezed his eyes closed tightly and rode out the wave of unpleasantness. When his lungs had finally given him a momentary break, he took a deep breath in.

The deep breath barely reached his lungs because it got blocked off by the congestion that almost completely sealed off his nose. He took a sharp sniff, forcing a little more air into his stuffy nose.

He used his hands to push himself off of the bed and back onto his feet. He put a hand over his forehead as the shadows in front of him started to spin. He tried to ignore the dizziness as he took a few steps toward the door. His throat was getting drier by the minute and water wasn’t optional anymore. If he didn’t get water soon, he was convinced that he would dry up and blow away.

His feet shuffled against the cold wooden floor and he was walking pretty well, but he couldn’t see where he was going in the dark room. He stumbled his way through the darkness, but his foot hit against something that felt soft and fuzzy like a slipper. The next thing he knew, he slipped to the floor.

The fall was hard and loud, but Louis was too weak to offer more than a soft grunt as he fell. The fall knocked the wind out of him, but it wasn’t like he could breathe that well beforehand.

He didn’t feel like anything was broken, but as the adrenaline wore off, he started to feel soreness radiating throughout his body.

He moaned a soft “ouch” and rolled over to his side. He was too weak to get up so he prepared to make the floor his bed for the rest of the night.

That plan was thankfully changed when the door slowly opened.

A hint of light traveled into the dark room along with Liam’s whisper. “Lou, are you ok?”

Louis moaned from the floor. “No.”

Liam pushed the door all the way open and Louis shielded his eyes from the blinding light from the hallway.

Liam knelt down next to Louis. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

Louis bit his lip. “I don’t think anything’s broken. I think my pride took the hardest hit. I was trying to get a glass of water from the fridge and I didn’t quite make it.”

Liam frowned. “You should have called me.”

Louis groaned. “Yeah, looking back, that would have been a better idea than falling.”

Liam smiled as he put his arms around Louis’ waist. “I’m here now, so you’re ok. Just put your arms around my neck and I’ll lift you.”

Louis linked his fingers around the back of Liam’s neck. “I take back every joke I made about you going to the gym.”

Liam grunted as he lifted Louis. “You joked about me working out?”

Louis smiled. “Well most of it was with the other guys, behind your back.”

Louis felt Liam’s shoulders shake with laughter as he carried the sick boy back to bed.

Liam propped up the pillows so Louis could sit up comfortably.

Louis sniffed. “Thank you for finding me. I guess my fall was pretty loud.”

Liam shook his head. “I heard you coughing all night. I wanted to come check on you, but I didn’t want you to think I was like hovering or whatever. When I heard the loud thud, I finally had a good excuse to come check on you.”

Louis blinked back at his hero, not really knowing what to say.

Liam smiled and walked to the door. “I’ll get you some water. I’ll be right back.”

Liam returned with a glass of water and something else in his hands.

Louis squinted to see in the darkness. “What do you have there Payno?”

Liam handed Louis the glass of water and walked over to the electric socket. “I don’t have a nightlight so this will have to do.”

He plugged in the cord and a bright angel shaped tree topper was glowing in his hands.

Liam’s smile was illuminated by the light of the angel. “I really want you to text me if you need to go anywhere or do anything during the night, but I know that’s not going to happen because you’re stubborn and independent, so at least this little angel will make sure that you can see where you’re going.”

Louis was sure his face was glowing more than the tree topper at this point.

Liam placed the makeshift nightlight on the floor and tucked Louis in. He gave Louis’ hair a ruffle and winked before he left.

Louis closed his eyes and smiled to himself. He knew exactly what he was going to write in his journal when he woke up.

_The third day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: The perfect guardian angel._

_Did I mention that the angel brought a nightlight with him?_


	4. The Fourth Day Of Christmas

Niall watched Harry roll the rolling pin over the dough. He tossed a piece of chocolate into his mouth. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

Harry smiled as he rolled over the dough again. “I worked at a bakery Ni. I’m a professional.”

Liam wiped a dab of frosting on Harry’s nose. “Then these better be the best cookies ever, mate.”

Harry wiped the frosting off of his nose with his arm. He reached into the flour bag and tossed a white cloud of flour at Liam.

Liam smiled back at Harry. He looked like the snowman they made days earlier. He shook the flour from his face and hair.

Niall fanned away the dust with one hand and covered his mouth with the other hand as he coughed. “Guys, no playing around in the kitchen. We have serious work to do. Christmas isn’t Christmas without the cookies.”

Liam had Harry in a headlock. “I think the dinner might be more important than the dessert Nialler.”

Harry tried to squirm free. “You’re just saying that because you’re in charge of making the Christmas roast.”

Liam let go of Harry and snapped his fingers. “I almost forgot. I have to look for a recipe. Our cook picked a bad time to get sick.”

Louis sat on one of the chair stools. “I’m on medicine so I’m not contagious. I can cook Christmas dinner if you need me t- t- _taa-choooo!_

Niall put an arm around Louis. “You just relax. I’m sure that Liam cooking an entire Christmas dinner as his first meal can’t possibly go wrong.”

Liam flipped Niall off. “I’ve got some time yet. I’m downloading a few instructional videos. I’ll just do what Xmasdinner4awesome says to do. Piece of cake.”

Harry scrunched his eyebrows together as he smoothed flour over the thin sheet of dough. “We better order a pizza as back-up just in case.”

Before Liam could start another food fight, Harry placed a box of cookie cutters on the table. Each of the boys took a few and pressed the cutters into the dough creating various holiday shapes. Harry carefully lifted the doughy shapes and arranged them on the cookie sheet. He tossed them in the oven.

Liam put four bowls of chicken soup on four trays. “Alright Lads, breakfast in bed in Louis’ room.”

Niall nodded. “Making those cookies was hard work.”

Harry laughed. “I did all the hard work. All you did was stamp some things on the dough.”

Niall smiled. “Hey. I did some pretty world class stamping.” Niall’s eyes traveled to the floor next to Louis’ bed. “Why is the tree topper on the floor?”

Louis climbed into bed. “Because I’m a klutz and I fell.”

Harry stated to laugh. “That was you? Liam told us a book fell or something.”

Niall joined in the laughter.

Liam frowned. “It’s not funny. Louis could have been hurt. Need I remind you about a certain golf club carrying incident, Niall? Or maybe the thousand times you’ve fallen on stage Harry?”

Harry wiped his eyes as he tried to stop laughing. “I’m sorry, but you guys laugh at me falling all the time. I’m just glad it’s not me this time.”

Louis laughed with Harry. “It’s ok. I’m just glad I can laugh along with you after the rough night I had.”

Niall slurped his soup loudly. “You think you had it rough? Try sharing a bed with Harry. He hogged all the covers. I can’t wait until he goes back into his own bed, in your room.”

Louis winced. The boys were two to a room, but they at least had the luxury of having their own beds. When Harry was kicked out of Louis’ room he had to double up in Niall’s bed.

Harry frowned. “Well at least I don’t play with myself under the covers.”

Niall pointed his spoon at Harry. "I already told you. I wasn’t doing any of that. I was scratching my leg. I had an itch.” Niall directed his attention to Liam. “You believe me, right?”

Liam tilted his soup bowl further back, taking another sip of the hot soup. A mouthful of soup was a good excuse to not have to answer. The bowl also blocked Liam from seeing Niall. Liam was sure that Niall wasn’t waving a spoon at him in a menacing way, but Liam’s fear of spoons made Niall’s actions just a tad terrifying.

Louis watched his friends playfully argue back and forth. The soup was clearing out Louis’ stuffed up nose quickly. He took a tissue and gave a satisfying blow. For the first time in days he could take a deep breath in, but his nose twitched as he inhaled a strong burning smell.

He tried to interrupt his friends, but the smell kept tickling his nose, forcing him to stop in between words. “Do you… do you guys… do you ….?”

Niall closed his mouth around the spoon of soup and mumbled. “You ok?”

Louis shook his head. “Something’s bu- bu- _buuu-chooo!_ ”

Harry looked puzzled. “Something’s buchoo?”

Liam jumped to his feet. “Burning! The cookies!”

Harry raced to the kitchen after him. “They shouldn’t be ready for another fifteen minutes.”

The cloud of smoke coming from the oven begged to differ.

Harry pulled the oven door open and an even bigger cloud of smoke trailed out. Liam grabbed a pair of oven mitts and snatched the cookie sheet out of the oven.

Harry looked at the temperature on the oven and turned it off. “This is way too high. No wonder they started burning.”

The two looked at the pan of crispy cookies for a few moments and then started laughing.

Harry tried to catch his breath. “I bet Niall would still eat them.”

This caused the two to start laughing even harder.

Louis yelled from his room. “What happened?”

Liam yelled back. “We burnt the cookies.”

Harry yelled as well. “No worries. We’ll make more. Just stay in your room for now, until the smoke clears. We’ll make a new batch after that. Liam and I are opening a couple of windows so it won’t be long.”

Louis smiled as Niall ran out of the room to join his friends. He heard more laughter and excited conversation coming from the kitchen, but he just sat back in his bed and smiled. He reached over for his journal and penned in another entry.

_The fourth day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: a tray of burnt cookies._


	5. The Fifth Day Of Christmas

Harry held up the spoonful of ice chips and inched it to Louis’ mouth. Harry smiled as he moved the spoon closer to Louis. “Here comes the ice train Lou. Choo choo!”

Louis groaned. “Remind me to treat you like this when you’re sick.”

Harry laughed. “I loved to be babied when I’m sick.”

Louis let the ice slowly melt in his mouth. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

Harry smiled as he scooped up more ice. “You’re just cranky because Liam isn’t doing this instead of me. He already tried to do this with a fork, but the ice kept falling off.” He stole a piece of ice from Louis’ spoon and popped it in his mouth.

Louis frowned. “Don’t do that Haz. You’re going to get sick.”

Harry put a hand on Louis’ forehead. “Hmmm. You still feel really hot. That fever isn’t going down.”

Louis took a labored breath. “I can’t wait to get over this cold. What are Niall and Liam doing?”

Harry made sure Louis took another spoonful of ice. “They’re knitting you a blanket. When your fever breaks, you’re going to be cold.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “I could imagine the two of them knitting. I don’t think any of us have enough patience for something like that.”

Right on time, Niall walked in the room. “How are ya Lou?”

Louis sighed. “I can’t complain. I have amazing friends like you guys to take care of me.”

Niall’s eyebrows raised. “How much medication is he on?”

Liam leaned against the doorway. “A whole lot.”

Louis laughed, but it quickly turned into a coughing attack. Harry sat him up and rubbed his back until the coughing stopped.

Niall looked at Louis and squinted his eyes in concentration. “Did you guys put any of that creamy crap on his chest?”

Harry shook his head. “I don’t want to use the Vaporub on him until the fever breaks.”

Niall, Harry, and Liam’s voices turned into mumbling sounds in Louis’ ears. Louis blinked his eyes to try and focus. His eyes instinctually went to Liam in the doorway and his heart skipped a beat.

Liam was leaned in the doorway with his hands up holding the top of the doorframe. It was pretty cold outside but he was wearing a tank top that showed every ab he had. If Louis weren’t already feeling lightheaded, this sight would have made him a little woozy.

Louis daydreamed a bit more about Liam’s abs and eventually the sounds that buzzed in his ears went back to sounding like words.

Harry smiled. “Is that right Lou?”

Louis shook his head. “I didn’t catch that Harry. Can you say it again?”

Harry took a deep breath, but Niall waved his hands. “No way. That story took ten years the first time. For the love of God, please don’t make him repeat it.”

Harry frowned. “But Lou wanted –.”

Niall got up from the bed. “I got a better idea. Why don’t I play some songs on my guitar?”

Liam sat down on the bed across from Louis. “That’s a great idea. Did you know that Silent Night was originally played on the guitar because the church organ was broken?”

Louis smiled a heavily medicated smile. “I’m being serenaded by One Direction.”

Niall sat down next to Liam with his guitar around his shoulders and winked. “Don’t wet yourself over it.”

Louis yawned. “I’ll try to hold it in.”

Harry sat next to Niall and Liam. Niall put the guitar pick in his mouth and strummed a few chords with his fingers. He continued tuning the guitar and mumbled with the pick in his mouth. “What song should I play?”

Harry smiled. “We have to sing Christmas carols for Louis.”

Niall nodded. “Christmas carols it is.”

Niall played the joyful music of Christmas as his friends joined him in three part harmony. Niall’s fingers moved gently from one chord to the next as the lilting melodies floated through the room.

Louis listened to the beautiful arrangement of each song. Louis’ fever kept him hot and uncomfortable, but Louis couldn’t fight the chill that ran through his body as Liam effortlessly slid to the higher falsetto notes.

Louis smiled as Harry pushed into his higher register as well and soon Louis couldn’t resist humming along.

Niall ran through every Christmas carol and every Christmas hymn that he knew. By the end of the impromptu concert Louis had drifted to sleep. The music had been calm and soothing and just the right medicine for Louis.

The three carolers let Louis sleep for a few hours and when he woke up they teased him about falling asleep during the singing.

Eventually they left Louis alone again so they could get dinner ready. Louis took that time to write in his journal.

_The fifth day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: Musical medicine_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't really said thank you for reading this yet, so thank you for reading this! It means a lot.


	6. The Sixth Day Of Christmas

Harry and Niall tried to keep the ladder steady as a gust of wind slammed into them.

Liam called down from the top of the ladder. “Good job keeping the ladder steady Lads. Did you know that most holiday injuries are caused by hanging Christmas lights?”

Harry called up to Liam. “I think it’s bad luck to talk about getting hurt hanging Christmas lights when you’re hanging Christmas lights.”

Liam shrugged as he looped another string over the gutter. “You’re probably right Haz.”

The snow had almost all melted and Liam had insisted that today was the day to hang the outside lights. It wasn’t too snowy and it wasn’t too cold.

Niall looked at Harry. “Can you handle the ladder yourself?”

Harry nodded.

Niall reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone. He dialed quickly and in moments his phone screen filled with Louis’ face.

Niall smiled back at Louis. “Heya Lou. You can’t leave the house, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of hanging the lights.”

Niall held up the phone. “Say hello to Louis. We comes to us by the wonderful technology of Skype.”

Louis smiled. “Oh my God. Is this Niall? I love you Niall! I can’t believe I’m talking to Niall Horan.”

Harry laughed. “Do you have a question for the boys?”

Louis nodded. “My question is for Liam. Is it true that you and Louis are secretly dating?”

Liam almost dropped the bundle of Christmas lights in his hand. He waited until his heart stopped racing to answer the question. He cleared his throat. “That’s a great question caller. The answer is simple. Louis hasn’t asked me out so at the moment, we aren’t – ahhh Harry what the fu- ?”

Liam was cut off by Harry’s apology. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think that if I plugged in the lights that you would get shocked. I just wanted to see what it looked like so far.”

Liam frowned. “What did I just say about Christmas injuries?”

Niall smiled. “That’s right. You were just talking about that. I think you jinxed yourself Li.”

Liam grumbled as he tried to shake the feeling back into his hand.

Louis called up to Liam even though Niall had the phone facing the other way. “Are you ok? Did you really get electrocuted?”

Liam winced. “Only mildly. Nothing to worry about. Just, nobody plug in the lights till I’m done, ok?”

Harry offered another sorry and Liam went back to stringing lights.

They had started in the early afternoon, but by the time they were finished, the sun was already setting. Niall insisted that they go inside and take a food break before trying out the lights.

Louis joined the others for a meal at the table, but he couldn’t help but fuss over Liam’s hand.

Liam sighed. “Lou, for the last time. I’m fine.”

Louis bit his lip and took Liam’s hand. “You said you lost feeling in your hand for a second. That could mean nerve damage.”

Liam moved his hand to Louis’ cheek and moved it gently down his face. He looked into Louis’ eyes. “I can feel that.”

Louis blushed. “I can feel it too.”

Niall cleared his throat. “All I feel is incredibly awkward.”

Liam moved his hand and pushed away from the table. “I think its dark enough outside to see the lights.”

Harry nodded. “Let’s do this.”

The three stood outside and Niall held up the phone. “Can you see Lou?”

Louis nodded. “Yup. I see the unlit house.”

Liam grinned. “Good. Shall we do a countdown boys? On four?”

Harry gave the same countdown he gives on Midnight Memories. “One, two, three, FOUR.”

He flicked the switch and the lights and the house sparkled with multicolored lights framing every doorway and every window. Lights cascaded down from the roof and wrapped around the railings.

Niall grinned brighter than the hundreds of twinkling lights. “It’s perfect.”

Liam smiled along with him. “Yeah, I think it was worth getting electrocuted over.”

Harry cheered. “Best lights ever!”

Niall looked down at his phone. “I gotta turn you off Lou. I need to take a few pics of this to load onto Instagram.”

Louis laughed. “No worries, mate.”

Louis watched as his friends faded from the screen and laid the phone on the dresser.

He opened his journal and wrote with a smile.

_On the sixth day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: Enough Christmas lights to kill a person_


	7. The Seventh Day Of Christmas

Liam waved Louis over. “Come here Harry. I need your finger.”

Harry laughed. “Behave yourself Liam. It’s Christmastime.”

Liam frowned. “Stop being cheeky and put your finger here so I can tie this bow.”

Harry walked over and did as requested, but he mumbled. “Someone’s lost the holiday spirit.”

Liam carefully pulled the ribbon into a beautiful green bow. “Bah Humbug.”

Harry laughed. “I knew it! I knew that you were the Grinch.”

Niall pulled a pair of scissors against the golden ribbon on his own wrapped gift, creating a curly spiral. “The Grinch doesn’t say bah humbug. Hey look. My bow looks like your hair.”

Harry smirked at the curly golden bow. “You’re the only one with golden hair, Rapunzel.”

Niall curled another strand of ribbon. “Rapunzel? You’re the one with hair long enough to climb up a tower on.”

Louis looked at his own gift wrapped toy and sighed. “Can you tell it’s a teddy bear?”

Liam tilted his head examining the gift that looked like a teddy bear covered in wrapping paper. “Um, well maybe just a little.”

Louis pouted. His stuffy nose made him sound extra whiney. “It’s not fair. Everyone gets square or rectangle gifts to wrap except me.”

Harry put a bow on the gift wrapped teddy’s ear. He also put a bow on Louis head and smiled. “You did a great job Loubear. I’m sure that the kids at the charity will be more than happy with it. Here, why don’t you wrap this one next?”

Harry handed him a football. Louis looked at the round ball and sighed. “I hate you.”

Niall tore a piece of wrapping paper and started to wrap a remote controlled helicopter. He smoothed the paper with his hands, folding the paper along the edges of the box and taping it down carefully. He folded the corners and the ends and put tape on the perfectly wrapped package.

He held it up triumphantly. “Look here. This looks better than the gift wrapping at the mall.”

Liam gave a thumbs up. “That’s a quality wrap mate. You might have a future as one of Santa’s elves.”

Harry laughed. “He can’t be an elf. He doesn’t have a red nose.”

Niall waved the tape dispenser at Harry angrily. “The elves don’t have red noses. You got it mixed up with Rudolph the reindeer. You gotta brush up on your Christmas stories.”

Liam smiled. “Did someone say movie marathon?”

After all the gifts were wrapped and Liam called security to come pick up the pile of wrapped treasures, the boys settled in for hours of classic Christmas movie viewing.

This was mainly a lesson for Harry, but he was the first to fall asleep on the couch nuzzled against Niall. Niall kept nudging him awake, but soon he gave up and started drawing Christmas tattoos on Harry’s face with a Sharpie.

Eventually Niall took pity on his friend. He hoisted a sleepy Harry over his shoulder and carried him to bed. Niall must have found something entertaining in his room because he didn’t return to the Christmas movie viewing.

Liam and Louis stayed on the couch enjoying hours more of every animated and claymation cartoon in their video library. Louis was bundled in a blanket with just his face peeking out for air. He had his box of tissues on one side and his Liam on the other.

The Grinch was just stuffing the Christmas tree up the chimney when Louis squirmed on the couch. “I think I’ve been sitting too long. I can’t feel my legs.”

Liam pointed the remote at the screen and turned off the TV. “Yeah, I think I’m overdue for a bathroom break.”

Louis sniffed as a wave of exhaustion washed over him. “I think I’m ready for a nap break.”

Liam lifted Louis off of the couch and carried him bridal style into the bedroom. He placed Louis on the bed and pulled up the covers around him. He tucked the corners of the sheet under the mattress making sure Louis was tucked in nice and tight.

Louis laughed. “I feel like you’re wrapping me up tight like a present.”

Liam nodded. “You’re like the gift I never asked for.”

Louis smiled. “But you love the most?”

Liam walked over to the bathroom. “Sure Lou. I’ll be back.”

Louis closed his eyes. He was positive he’d be asleep before Liam came back. He was right, but just before he drifted to sleep he smiled to himself.

_The seventh day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: Gifts wrapped with love for charity_


	8. The Eighth Day Of Christmas

Louis closed his eyes. The steam rose from the bathtub into his nose, slowly opening up his breathing. He took a deep inhale in and let the warm steam flow into his lungs. He sank a little further down under the blanket of warm water and bubbles that surrounded him in the tub.

He sighed. “This is the only part of this illness that I like. The mandatory therapeutic bubble baths.”

Harry was sitting on the toilet, with the lid down, smiling back. “I used the steam from a hot bath or shower to help with my asthma was I was younger.”

Louis nodded, slipping further away into relaxation. “Did it help?”

Harry breathed in the steam. “Yeah. Sometimes it was the only thing that could help me breathe.”

Louis smiled. “There’s really nothing that a bubble bath can’t cure.”

Harry laughed. “It can’t cure laziness.”

Louis sighed. “So very true. I think I’ll stay in here until I get pruney.”

Harry laughed. “I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Louis ran his hand over his mouth and chin. “Hmm, if I don’t shave soon, I’m going to get a Santa beard.”

Harry laughed. “Put some of the bath bubbles over your face. I want to see what Santa Tomlinson would look like.”

Louis spread some bath bubbles over his already straggly beard. “Ho, ho, ho Harry. What do you want for Christmas? And don’t ask to sit on my lap because that would be beyond inappropriate in this bathtime setting.”

Harry didn’t miss a beat. “World peace?”

Santa Louis shook his head. “Too hard.”

Harry laughed. “How about healing my sick friend.”

Santa Louis shook his head again. “I’m a man in a red suit, I don’t have superpowers. Let’s try something that can fit in a box.”

Harry smiled like a little kid, dimples and all. He took a minute to think of the perfect gift.

Louis laughed. “Ho ho ho. Take your time. It’s not like Santa has a deadline to deliver the gifts or anything.”

Harry smiled wider. “Santa’s a little sassy today.”

Louis’ voice softened. “Seriously Haz, what do you want for Christmas?”

Before Harry could answer Niall pushed the door open with an armful of shopping bags. Liam followed behind him.

Louis shivered from the door being opened and sighed. “I’m taking a bath here. Some privacy, yeah?”

Niall put the bags on the floor and started searching through them. “You aint got nothing that I don’t got. Besides, you got the bubbles covering your bits and bobs.”

Harry smirked. “You mean his nips and knobs?”

Louis rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help smiling just a bit. “Can’t a guy just enjoying a relaxing bath alone?”

Niall took a jar of bath salts out of his shopping bag and held it up. “Li and I are here to help with that relaxing bath. We just spent the last hour at the bath and beauty shop at the mall and oh my God. It was like a warzone down there. I had to wrestle these bath crystal things out of an old lady’s hands. It was the last one and she looked like so was going to fight me to the death over it.”

Liam laughed. “It probably wasn’t the best idea to go when they were having their 70% off sale.”

Harry took the jar of bath salts and sniffed it. “It smells like candy canes.”

Liam grinned. “That’s why it was so important to get _that_ one. Ni and I got candy cane scented candles. If the bath salts were gingerbread scented or something, the bathroom would smell like too many different things.”

Niall pulled out a small pillow from the bag. “We got you a bath pillow and a sleep mask too, Lou. We spared no expense for our Princess.”

Louis smiled. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Niall shook his head. “Yeah I did. Liam said that if I didn’t come with him he would –.”

Liam punched Niall on the arm. “Help me light these candles for Louis before the water gets cold.”

Niall helped Liam light the candles around the edge of the tub and Harry sprinkled some of the bath salts into the tub. The bathroom filled with the relaxing smell of peppermint candy. Liam turned the lights off and the room was bathed in candlelight.

Louis reached into his bag of treats and pulled out a sleep mask. He happily put the terrycloth mask over his eyes as his friends left him to soak in peace.

He felt like he could have stayed in the tranquil trance forever, but soon there was a knock on the door.

Louis peeled off his mask and yawned. “Come in.”

Harry was standing in the doorway. He bit his lip. “Hi Lou. I came to make sure you didn’t drown. Niall said that there was a possibility that you could get so relaxed that you would just fall asleep and slide under the water.”

Louis laughed. “I’m still alive Haz. I’m almost done anyway.”

Harry gave Louis a shy smile. “Ok. I’ll leave you alone, but um, it would be great if you could finish soon Princess. I kind of have to use the throne if you know what I mean?”

Louis smirked. “And you don’t want a royal audience when you pee?”

Harry blushed. “Just don’t take too long.”

Louis laughed. “I’ll be out in a sec, Haz.”

Harry smiled as he closed the door, leaving Louis to a few more seconds of peppermint scented relaxation.

Louis stepped out of the bath and grabbed his bath towel. He wrapped it around himself and hummed to himself.

_The eighth day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: A day at the spa without having to leave home._


	9. The Ninth Day Of Christmas

Niall reached into his sock drawer and pulled out pair of red socks with snowflakes on it. He held one of the holiday socks up to his nose and winced immediately. “Whoa, that one definitely isn’t a candidate to hang on the fireplace.”

Harry rolled over in bed. He enjoyed having the bed all to himself for a moment and debated if he would even let Niall in again.

Niall winced as another pair didn’t make the cut. “Geez, these smell worse than the other ones.”

Harry whined at Niall, before smushing his head into his pillow. “Shut up. I’m trying to sleep.”

Niall sighed. “I have to find four socks to hang from the fireplace. We can’t have Christmas without the stockings.”

Harry wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but he couldn’t ignore the sadness in Niall’s voice, so he sat up and sighed. “I’m sure we can find four socks between the four of us.”

Niall shook his head. “Louis doesn’t wear socks, so he’s out. You and Liam have all those expensive designer socks, but mine are the only ones with holiday designs.”

At this point Harry had walked over to the sock drawer to help Niall look. Harry was dangling a sock that had reindeer with sunglasses on it. He took a closer look, but frowned. “Why do all of your socks smell?”

Niall gave the sniff test to a pair of socks with snowman on the heel. “I’ve worn most of them.”

Harry sniffed a pair of Rudolph socks. “You have all of your dirty socks mixed in with the clean ones?”

Niall tossed a passing pair of penguin socks on the bed. “I toss everything in here and then wash it all on laundry day.”

Harry tossed a pair of socks that had alligators in Christmas hats on the bed. “Maybe I should buy you a laundry bin for Christmas.”

Niall frowned. “I want a real gift, not something practical. If you buy me socks or underwear for Christmas so help me, I’ll shove a whole bag of coal up your – .”

Liam cut him off quickly. “Don’t say it Niall. The holidays are a time for innocence and wonder.”

Niall rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever.”

Liam lifted himself off of the bed. “I think we have enough socks. You and Harry can get breakfast together and I’ll go check on Louis.”

Niall grumbled another ‘whatever’ as Liam left.

Liam headed to Louis’ room but stopped short outside of the bathroom door. The door was closed, but Liam could heard the sound of Louis coughing up something nasty inside.

Liam pressed himself against the door. He kept his voice low and calm, but still loud enough for Louis to hear it. “Louis? Are you ok in there?”

Louis responded with a cough and then a gag.

Liam turned the doorknob slowly and peeked his head inside. Louis was kneeling on the floor, hunched over the toilet. He coughed again and it gave Liam chills.

Liam carefully walked over to Louis and knelt down next to him. He had been Louis’ friend long enough to know that the poor boy hated throwing up. For Louis, throwing up was the worst feeling in the world and he always cried after doing it. Liam was the only member of One Direction that knew this personal fact about Louis, so he was glad that he had found Louis like this instead of Niall or Harry.

Liam rubbed Louis’ back as the nausea continued to work its way out of him.

When Louis moaned that he was done, Liam let him collect himself in peace.

Liam walked to the kitchen and Niall was already dividing a pan of scrambled eggs onto four plates. Niall was dressed in one of his many holiday sweaters.

Niall looked up. “Hey Li. Where’s Louis?”

Liam sat in a chair next to Harry. “He wasn’t feeling too good. I think that bath he had yesterday is starting to work the phlegm out of his chest. It’s good though. Coughing up that mucus –.”

Niall held up his hand. “Could we not talk about phlegm and mucus when we’re about to eat breakfast?”

Louis appeared in the room and sniffed. “That sounds like a good idea.”

Niall continued to dish out the scrambled eggs, but he also continued to miss the plates as he looked from Liam to Louis. “Geez, you look terrible. Have you been crying?”

Louis blushed, but rebounded quickly. “I’ve been crying over your sweater. No one told me we were having an ugly sweater party today.”

Harry scooped the scrambled eggs that had landed on the table back onto the plates while laughing. “If you think his sweater is ugly, wait till you see his socks.”

Niall pouted. “They aren’t socks anymore. When you hang them on the fireplace, they graduate to stockings.”

Liam took a carton of milk from the fridge. “Should we have the fireplace on when we hang the stockings?”

Harry laughed. “We almost set this cabin on fire once. We should probably do everything we can to prevent that from happening again.”

Liam raised the milk cartoon in the air. “Good point. Cheers to that mate.”

Liam drank a swig of milk from the carton, but quickly moved it from his mouth and coughed a few times. “I think this milk is spoiled or something.”

Niall squinted at the carton and started laughing. “That’s because it’s eggnog not milk you wanker.”

Breakfast continued with teasing and laughter and that carried over into the living room when they gathered around the fireplace.

Niall laid out the socks on the floor. Liam went for a gingerbread sock, but Harry was yelled at when he chose the other matching gingerbread sock. Harry took an abnormally long time to choose a new one, but finally settled on a sock with polar bears wearing skates.

Louis chose a sock with a jack o lantern on it, just to be different.

Niall picked one with Santa on it.

Niall had already hammered four nails into the fireplace, so he happily hung the stockings on the fireplace with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Liam eventually got the fireplace started without burning anything down and Louis sat next to the warm fire and smiled to himself.

_The ninth day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: Niall’s dirty socks_


	10. The Tenth Day Of Christmas

Louis shook his head. “I don’t want to pose for the Christmas photo, Harry. I look like death wrapped up in a blanket.”

Louis looked into the bathroom mirror and cringed at his reflection.

Harry had asked the boys to take a family Christmas photo together. Louis felt his heart warm with happiness when he heard Harry call him family, but that happy feeling was short-lived. Yesterday was a rough day and Louis was thankfully feeling much better today, but he still wasn’t camera ready. His red nose and the dark circles under his eyes were proof of that.

Louis shook his head. “I can’t take a – .”

The rest of his words were cut off by a sneeze and buried in a tissue. Louis blew his nose rather forcefully into the tissue resulting in a Rudolph colored nose.

Harry rolled a curling iron through his hair with one hand and handed Louis a box of tissues with the other. “Bless you. And don’t worry, you look as pretty as a picture.”

Niall stood on his toes to see around Harry and look into the mirror. He sprayed some hairspray on his spiky blond locks. “Hey, I thought your hair was naturally curly?”

Harry smiled as he twisted another piece of hair around the curling iron. “It is, but some pieces need to be reminded of that fact.”

Liam sat on the edge of the tub looking into his own pocket mirror. He held the tiny mirror in one hand and a tiny brush in the other. He gently brushed his beard into a well-groomed state.

Louis raised an eyebrow at Liam. “I might be as sick as a dog, but do you really think that I’m going to let this tiny brush thing go without a comment.”

Liam smiled as he brushed his mustache. “My dad gave me this facial hair grooming set for Christmas last year. I don’t have a make-up artist or a stylist for this photo, so I figured I’d have a crack at making myself look respectable.”

Niall grinned. “That’s a nice one Li. Can I borrow your brush for my chest hair?”

Liam looked over at Niall. “That’s really gross, mate.”

Harry frowned. “No chest hair in the Christmas photo. We’re wearing holiday sweaters.”

Louis blew his nose and sighed softly.

Liam seemed to sense Louis’ uneasiness and tried to help. “How about we take the picture without Louis and add him in later.”

Harry ran his hand through his hair, loosening the curls. “No way. We can’t Photoshop the Christmas photo. That’s not how the family tradition works.”

Liam mouthed the words to Louis. _I tried_

Louis gave a weak smile and mouthed back the words ‘thank you’.

When four hairstyles were perfectly teased and tamed, the handsome boys walked to the living room to prepare for the holiday picture. Harry had laid out four matching knitted sweaters with snowflakes on them on the couch. They were identical except for the colors. Niall took the green sweater, leaving Louis with the red one and Liam with the black. Harry put on the remaining blue sweater and smiled. “The first photo should be something natural and casual. We should be drinking hot cocoa by the fire.”

Louis smirked. “Because I always casually drink hot chocolate by the fire with my three friends in identical matching sweaters.”

Niall picked at a string on his sweater. “Where did you get these sweaters, Haz?”

Liam laughed. “I think he got a four for one deal on these beauties. And stop picking at that string or you’re going to unravel the sweater. You can’t follow the no-chest-hair rule if you’re naked from the waist up.”

Niall laughed as Harry poured four cups of hot chocolate. “I’m sure there are plenty of girls that would be dyin’ to see me shirtless on a holiday picture. Imagine me shirtless with a Santa hat and plaid pajama bottoms.”

Liam took the mug of hot chocolate that Harry gave him and held it up in a toast. “Cheers to that mate, but I can one up you. Imagine me with no shirt and a pair of Santa’s trousers. They’re too big for me so they’re held up by a pair of black bracers (suspenders).”

Louis’ eyes grew at the mental picture of Liam looking like a cross between Sexy Santa and Hot Fireman.

Harry handed out the remaining mugs of hot chocolate and smirked. “If you want to take a sexy holiday picture, you need to have nothing on, but Santa’s boots. But seriously guys, we need to focus so we can get a good picture.”

Harry set the camera on timer and ran to pose with his friends and they took a few pictures by the fire. They started off taking the “casual” pictures of them sitting around the fireplace talking and laughing, but soon the pictures turned into Niall convincing the guys to pose with melted marshmallow mustaches.

The photo shoot moved to in front of the Christmas tree. The gifts that they had wrapped for each other were already wrapped and under the tree, so the boys posed in the obligatory “shaking the packages” pose. Eventually Louis found some extra bows and ribbon under the tree and convinced Liam and Niall to tie up Harry and cover him in gift bows.

When picture taking was over, Harry sat on the couch with the others huddled around him. They looked at all the pictures and not surprisingly, there was only one serious one. The rest were goofy One Direction fun.

The winning picture was a picture of all of them standing in front of the tree with their arms on each other’s shoulders. Louis had said something funny so the picture had captured their real smiles. Niall had his fingers behind Liam, giving him rabbit ears. Harry loved the picture so much that he waived his ban on Photoshop and gave Liam permission to edit out the rabbit ears.

Liam left to work his magic with photo editing and the three remaining boys sat on the couch, with their feet up, enjoying the rest of their hot chocolate.

Louis smiled to himself as he planned what he’d write in his journal.

_The tenth day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: The second best picture in the world. First place goes to Liam Payne in Santa trousers._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote all of these chapters before watching the Adventurous Adventures of One Direction 3, but after watching it, I had to change suspenders to bracers lol. Also, thanks for continuing to follow my Christmas story. Tomorrow is my favorite chapter because... mistletoe :D


	11. The Eleventh Day Of Christmas

Louis nodded as he spoke into the phone. “I know Mum. I should have called when I got sick. Right. Right. I am. Yes Mum, lots of fluids and soup. I’m not. The lads have been taking care of me. Mmm hmm. Lots of rest. I…what? Yes, of course I’m wearing clean underwear. What do clean underpants have to do with anything? Yes, I know that it’s important, but it sounds so random whenever people say that. No, no, I know you’re not ‘people’ you’re my Mum. Yup… yup… yes… I will. I love you too.”

Louis ended the call and sighed. He sank back down into his pillow. “Mum was not a happy woman. She gave me a piece of her mind just then.”

Liam laughed. “I’m sure she’ll give you another piece when she comes over for Christmas dinner.”

Louis had woken up feeling the best he had in days and Liam rewarded him with a bedmate and a movie. Liam unpaused the movie and The Avengers continued to save the city, right where they left off.

Louis and Liam watched the action movie happily, but were interrupted by a real life scream for help from the other room. Seconds later, Niall ran into the room.

Niall was red faced and looked horrified. “Harry kissed me!”

Liam laughed. “That’s your emergency?”

Niall nodded. “I was going about my usual business and he just comes up and kisses me. On the _mouth_!!

Louis laughed. “You might want to dial it down a notch. So, Harry kissed you out of nowhere?”

Niall used exaggerated arm movements. “Yes. Well… kind of. He said that he had to because we were both under the mistletoe, but he was holding the mistletoe thing in his hand. Now I’ve got to find a way to prank him back.”

Niall retreated into the bathroom to lick his wounds and continue plotting his revenge in the shower.

Harry walked into Louis’ room holding something behind his back.

Liam laughed. “Uh oh. Here comes Styles, armed with mistletoe. Niall warned us about you.”

Harry held up the hidden mistletoe from behind his back and smiled. “Merry almost Christmas.”

He walked over to Liam and Louis and gave them both a kiss on the cheek.

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Only Niall gets the kiss with extras?”

Harry shrugged. “I gave him the same kiss on the cheek.” Harry’s smiled widened a bit. “It’s not my fault that he turned his head at the last minute. That was a little Christmas bonus for both of us.”

Harry tossed the mistletoe on Liam’s lap as he left. “Use this plant responsibly gents.”

Liam looked down at the mistletoe and then up at Louis. He bit his lip nervously. “We don’t have to do the kiss thing. You’re sick and all. I mean you’re not contagious anymore because you’re almost better, but um, yeah. I’ll just put this on the dresser.”

Liam went to pick up the plant on his lap, but Louis got to it first. Louis held the mistletoe over their heads. “I think the tradition clearly states that you need to be under the mistletoe Payno.”

Liam smirked. “Well now that it’s up there, I guess we have no choice.”

Louis nodded. “It’s like a superstition. I think it says that if you don’t do it, you get no gifts from Santa.”

Liam wrapped his arms around Louis and pulled him close. Louis wasn’t prepared and dropped the mistletoe.

They were close enough that Louis could feel Liam’s words blow against his lips. “It’s on the floor. Does it still count?”

Louis, unable to speak at the moment, just nodded.

Liam titled his head and gave Louis a kiss on the cheek. Liam felt Louis’ cheek heat up with a warm blush against his lips.

Liam tilted his head the other way and gave Louis a kiss on the other cheek. His kiss lingered on Louis’ cheek before his lips traveled down the side of Louis’ neck. Each kiss sent shivers down Louis spine as Liam’s mustache tickled against his skin. Louis offered a few giggles, followed by a satisfied hum.

When Liam reached Louis’ collarbone, he stopped and looked into Louis’ eyes. They both stayed speechless for a minute.

Liam blinked slowly, the silence was making him nervous. “Louis? Please say something.”

Louis opened his mouth but he had just enough time to turn his head so he didn’t give Liam the gift of a sneeze in the face.

Liam laughed. “Bless you, Love. Is that a happy sneeze or a ‘you just ruined our friendship’ sneeze?”

Louis shook his head. “It’s a – a – _ahhh-chooo!”_

Louis tried again. “You didn’t ru – _ruuh- chooooooo!”_

Louis sneezed a few more times, rapid fire, and knew that it would be fruitless to talk. He just gave a thumbs up and hoped Liam would understand.

Liam looked over at the mistletoe on the floor and back at Louis, who was now blowing his nose loudly into a tissue. Liam put his hand against the side of Louis’ face. “You said that your illness was doing better. I wonder if you’re allergic to mistletoe.”

Louis sniffed. His nose was all stuffed up. “I mighd be allerdic ta you.”

Liam gave Louis a kiss on the forehead. “You sound cute when you’re sick.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “I bed you thay dat ta all da boyds.”

Liam shook his head. “Nope. I only say it to this boy.”

Liam turned the movie back on and the two resumed cuddling.

Louis closed his eyes focusing on the kiss from Liam. The little voice inside of was screaming just like Niall had done earlier, but for very different reasons.

Louis smiled, knowing exactly what his entry would be tonight.

_The eleventh day of Christmas my Liam gave to me: The hottest kiss on the cheek EVER! I need to hang that mistletoe all year round._


	12. The Twelfth Day Of Christmas

Louis wrapped his comforter around himself and headed to the living room. It was the middle of the night, but he had been woken up by Niall yelling for his help. Louis was pretty sure that Harry had tried to snog him this time, so Louis was completely prepared to give Harry the ‘appropriate boundaries’ talk.

Niall’s cry for help had come from the living room so Louis slowly made his way there. It was dark so Louis stumbled into the room, trying to look between the shadows to find the light.

When he reached the living room he saw Harry, Liam, and Niall standing in front of the lit fireplace and the flashing lights of the Christmas tree.

Liam was holding a birthday cake in his hands and Niall yelled. “Happy Birthday Louis!”

Harry jumped into Louis’ arms. “Happy birthday Booger Bear.”

Louis stumbled back and fell onto the couch with Harry on top of him. Louis laughed. “Booger Bear? I should flick some of these boogers on you for calling me that.”

They both collapsed into a ball of laughter.

Liam put the cake on the coffee table and sat next to the two. Liam licked off a bit of frosting that had gotten on his finger. “We all helped make the cake Lou.”

Niall sat on the edge of the coffee table. “That’s right. I wrote the message with frosting.”

Louis smiled. “It says happy birthday Lewis. Thank you so much Neil.”

Louis gave Niall a hug. “You guys didn’t have to do this.”

Liam shrugged. “It must suck to have a birthday this close to Christmas because you kind of get forgotten, so we wanted to make sure that you knew we didn’t forget you mate. We all love you Louis.”

Harry winked at Liam. “Some more than others.”

Liam blushed. “Um, anyway, we all went in together to get you something special.” He handed Louis a small wrapped package.

Niall wiped his finger against the edge of the cake, stealing a little frosting. “I wanted to get you one of them miniature reindeers. Some people started breeding special reindeer so they stay small like a dog. It’s kind of like those miniature ponies that you can get. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to get you one, but Liam shot down the idea. He said it would run wild in the house and chew on the furniture and poop everywhere an when we start touring again, no one will be able to take care of it, and blah blah blah. Long story short. You’re not getting a mini reindeer.”

Louis quickly unwrapped the package and in the small box were four plane tickets.

Liam smiled. “You’re always going on about us taking a proper Lad’s holiday, so we got you an all-expenses paid trip to a private tropical island. We figured that since you got sick and couldn’t enjoy this little getaway, that it was only fair to plan another one. ” Liam pointed at Niall. “Tell him what he’s won.”

Niall used his game announcer voice. “Your prize includes thirteen days and twelve nights of tropical fun with the members of One Direction. This vacation package is valued at… 100 bazillion pounds.”

Harry chimed in. “In other words, it’s priceless; just like you Lou.”

Louis started to cry.

Niall frowned. “Oh no. I told you guys we should have gone with the miniature reindeer.”

Louis wiped his eyes and shook his head. “No. This gift is absolutely perfect. I’m crying because I’m happy. I’m just so happy that you all…” He trailed off as he started to cry more.

Harry shrugged. “It’s your party. You can cry if you want to.”

Liam put his arm around Louis so Louis could cry on his shoulder. “Don’t ruin this moment with something corny Haz.”

Harry laughed. “Ok Lili.”

Liam frowned. “Hazzer.”

“Li dawg.”

“Hazzle.”

“Paynis”

Niall laughed so hard, he fell off the coffee table. “Paynis! I love it!”

Louis smirked. “You like Paynis Niall? I never would have guessed.”

Niall laughed even harder.

The four sat by the tree and laughed until the sun came up and revealed a new blanket of fresh snow on the ground. He doctor had banned Louis from going outside for 12 days, so his days of bed rest were over. That meant Louis could go outside and enjoy the snowy day with his friends.

Louis smirked to himself, knowing that there was a snowball just waiting to be made with Niall’s name on it, but for now, Louis snuggled closer to Liam and enjoyed the warmth of the fire.

Louis wiped away another tear as he whispered the last journal entry to himself.

_The twelfth day of Christmas my band mates gave to me: more love and happiness than anyone could ever hope for. My heart had to grow three sizes just to fit it all._

 

****Merry Christmas****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy twelve days of Christmas! Thank you so much for reading and commenting and kudosing and all of that other good stuff. I had such a good time writing this story and I hope you had a good time reading it as well. I'll be posting again in the new year with lots more fluffy sick fics! Until then, stay happy and healthy everyone!


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